Ontario Premier Withdraws Ad Campaign to Resume Trade Talks with US
Ontario Premier Doug Ford announces the withdrawal of an ad campaign that upset President Trump, aiming to resume trade negotiations between Canada and the US.
TORONTO: Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced on Friday that he will withdraw the anti-tariff ad campaign that prompted U.S. President Donald Trump to end trade talks with Canada.
Following discussions with Prime Minister Mark Carney, Ford stated that the advertising campaign would be paused starting Monday, paving the way for trade negotiations to resume.
Trump had previously declared an end to all trade negotiations with Canada due to a television ad sponsored by Ontario that utilized former President Ronald Reagan's words to criticize U.S. tariffs.
Ford emphasized in a statement that the goal of reaching American audiences at high levels has been achieved, adding that the intention was to initiate a dialogue about the type of economy Americans wish to build and the impact of tariffs on workers and businesses.
The commercials are set to continue airing over the weekend, including during the first World Series games between the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Ford directed his team to keep broadcasting their message in front of American audiences over the weekend to air their commercial during these games.
Trump accused Canada of fraudulently using an advertisement featuring Ronald Reagan speaking negatively about tariffs.
He also criticized Ontario's ad campaign, alleging that Canada attempted to influence a U.S. Supreme Court ruling regarding Trump's global tariff regime.
The abrupt end to negotiations has further escalated trade tensions between the neighbors and longtime allies.
Prime Minister Carney expressed his intention to double Canada's exports outside of the US due to the threat posed by Trump's tariffs.
Canadian officials remain open to continuing talks to reduce tariffs in certain sectors, while acknowledging that they cannot control U.S. trade policies, which have fundamentally changed from the 1980s.
Carney engaged in discussions with Ford on Thursday and Friday regarding the ongoing situation.
White House spokesman Kush Desai criticized Canada's approach, stating that further talks are futile if Canada is not serious about engaging with the administration.
The Ontario government allocated approximately $75 million Canadian ($54 million) for the ad campaign to air across multiple American television stations.
Several politicians, including Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew and British Columbia Premier David Eby, supported Ford's decision.
Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal, suggested that the ad has backfired significantly.
Meanwhile, Jason Kenney, a former Conservative cabinet minister under ex-Prime Minister Stephen Harper, criticized Trump's posts as 'embarrassing', stating that the Ontario ad accurately represented President Reagan's anti-tariff stance.
Following discussions with Prime Minister Mark Carney, Ford stated that the advertising campaign would be paused starting Monday, paving the way for trade negotiations to resume.
Trump had previously declared an end to all trade negotiations with Canada due to a television ad sponsored by Ontario that utilized former President Ronald Reagan's words to criticize U.S. tariffs.
Ford emphasized in a statement that the goal of reaching American audiences at high levels has been achieved, adding that the intention was to initiate a dialogue about the type of economy Americans wish to build and the impact of tariffs on workers and businesses.
The commercials are set to continue airing over the weekend, including during the first World Series games between the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Ford directed his team to keep broadcasting their message in front of American audiences over the weekend to air their commercial during these games.
Trump accused Canada of fraudulently using an advertisement featuring Ronald Reagan speaking negatively about tariffs.
He also criticized Ontario's ad campaign, alleging that Canada attempted to influence a U.S. Supreme Court ruling regarding Trump's global tariff regime.
The abrupt end to negotiations has further escalated trade tensions between the neighbors and longtime allies.
Prime Minister Carney expressed his intention to double Canada's exports outside of the US due to the threat posed by Trump's tariffs.
Canadian officials remain open to continuing talks to reduce tariffs in certain sectors, while acknowledging that they cannot control U.S. trade policies, which have fundamentally changed from the 1980s.
Carney engaged in discussions with Ford on Thursday and Friday regarding the ongoing situation.
White House spokesman Kush Desai criticized Canada's approach, stating that further talks are futile if Canada is not serious about engaging with the administration.
The Ontario government allocated approximately $75 million Canadian ($54 million) for the ad campaign to air across multiple American television stations.
Several politicians, including Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew and British Columbia Premier David Eby, supported Ford's decision.
Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal, suggested that the ad has backfired significantly.
Meanwhile, Jason Kenney, a former Conservative cabinet minister under ex-Prime Minister Stephen Harper, criticized Trump's posts as 'embarrassing', stating that the Ontario ad accurately represented President Reagan's anti-tariff stance.
